A conjecture on the role of bottom-enhanced diapycnal mixing in the parameterization of geostrophic eddies

Marshall, David P. and Naveira Garabato, Alberto C. (2008) A conjecture on the role of bottom-enhanced diapycnal mixing in the parameterization of geostrophic eddies.Journal of Physical Oceanography, 38, (7), 1607-1613. (doi:10.1175/2007JPO3619.1).

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Description/Abstract

The parameterization of geostrophic eddies represents a large sink of energy in most ocean models, yet the ultimate fate of this eddy energy in the ocean remains unclear. The authors conjecture that a significant fraction of the eddy energy may be transferred to internal lee waves and oscillations over rough bottom topography, leading to bottom-enhanced diapycnal mixing. A range of circumstantial evidence in support of this conjecture is presented and discussed. The authors further propose a modification to the Gent and McWilliams eddy parameterization to account for the bottom-enhanced diapycnal mixing.